Girls4Gold graduate crowned Junior World Champion
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British Skeleton 02 February 2012
Lizzy Yarnold, who first took up the sport of skeleton through the UK Talent Team (UK Sport and English Institute of Sport)’s Girld4Gold campaign, has become the Junior World Champion, after winning gold at the Junior World Championships in Igls, Austria.
Launched in 2008, Girls4Gold sought highly competitive sportswomen with the potential to become Olympic champions and was the single most extensive female sporting talent recruitment drive ever undertaken in Great Britain.
Following on from her win in the St Moritz World Cup Race, and the silver she won in the World Juniors last season, Lizzy, 23, from West Kingsdown, Kent took the gold medal at the Junior World Championships beating the Russian Olga Potylitsina into second place by nearly half a second. Jacqueline Lolling of Germany was third.
Speaking after the race Lizzy said: “It was a tough race today with a very good field but I am delighted and really, really happy that I won today especially as my parents flew out to watch and support me.”
On a beautiful, clear day that was complexly different to the overcast and snowy conditions of training Lizzy was in first place after the first run, seven hundredths ahead of Potylitsina and despite admitting to a few mistakes on the second run, she extended her lead to finish forty four hundredths ahead at the end.
Lizzy added: “I made a few mistakes on the second run but worked hard at the bottom section of the track to recover and I’m pleased that I managed to extend my lead and win the gold.
“I’d like to thank Mark Wood my coach for all his advice and support and also the support staff that have helped me in recent weeks.”
Performance Director Nigel Laughton said: “It’s been a great few weeks for British Skeleton at all levels and I’m very proud of the success we’ve had and in particular of Lizzy winning. She was second last year in this race and the result today shows good progression and by winning today she automatically qualifies for the Senior World Championships in Lake Placid.
“I’m thrilled with the result and I’d like to mention the great work Mark Wood and all the support staff across the Association for the results we’ve had in recent weeks. I’m looking forwards to the next couple of weeks and watching Lizzy in the Senior Worlds.”
Lizzy now moves onto North America for the final two World Cups of the season and the World Championships.
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